Category: Northern Reports

A non-governmental organisation, Brodas Across Nigeria, has expressed its commitment to working with relevant government parastatals to reduce road accidents and fatalities in states.

This, it said, would enhance proactive measures  to make Nigerian roads safer.

Chairman Brodas Across Nigeria (Northern States), Mr. Ikem Agboeze, who made this known yesterday while handing over  traffic warden control stand to the Byazhin Police Station, Kubwa, Abuja, said appropriate intervention can go a long way in preventing accidents and deaths.

He said the initiative of donating traffic warden control stand to the Nigerian Police in different states across the country was necessitated by the number of accidents witnessed on Nigerian roads due to the absence of such facilities.

Agboeze, who noted that there is a high tendency of accidents in the area where the facility was donated in Abuja, said the aim also is to provide shelter for the policemen on duty.

He said: “There is a high tendency of accidents in this area and it is very necessary there should be a traffic stand at least providing shelter for the policemen on duty.

“Our organisation has been partnering with different government parastatals in things like this; our chapter in Port Harcourt, River State, is doing something like this with the army to help the widows who lost their husbands while combating terrorism.”

As the Northern chapter, he said, “We have provided seven of this in six states. We did one in Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Bauchi, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory.

The PRO of the organisation, Mr Emmanuel Oko, noted that the aim of providing the traffic facility is to enable the police officers on duty carry out their duties effectively.

Director General of the Nasarawa State Bureau for Rural Development, Mustapha Yahuza Musa II has disclosed that Governor Abdullahi Sule has so far constructed 1000kms of rural roads in the state to bring succour to rural dwellers who have been neglected for decades.

He stated this yesterday in Lafia during an interactive session with newsmen.

According to the director general, his agency, was established early last year, to ensure improvement in rural infrastructure, as well as enhance economic emancipation of rural dwellers.

He explained that while there are presently three major ongoing projects being undertaken by the bureau, namely: Keana/Abuni in Awe Local Government (27km),  Kofan Gwari/Bakin Ayeni in Kokona (15km) and Andaha/Rinze (17km) in Akwanga; his agency has so far completed the construction of 1000kms of rural roads spread across the three senatorial zones and 13 local government areas of the state.

The roads completed by the bureau include Shabu/Doka/Aribadu/Alakiyo (10km), Agwede/Ashope/Atabula/Obi (21km), Kanje/Abuni (27. 9km), Kagbu/Asoko/Kagbu Wana, Masaka/Luvu, Mama/Farin Ruwa (16km), Nasarawa/Ara (14), Rubi/Jangwe (12km), Assakio/Obi (27), Angoro Junction/Bassa (10km), Gudi/Anguwan Dorawa (1km) and Baure Grazing Reserve in Awe (19km).

In the meantime, he said Kofan Gwari/Bakin Ayeni/Amba (16. 9km), Rinze/Nangere/Anko/Anko Babba/Andaha (13. 4km) and Alushi/Wakama (5km) are ongoing.

Yahuza Musa II lamented that rural dwellers across the state have for long been denied accessible roads, with most communities left to use motorcycles as means of transportation.

The Chief Judge of Plateau State, Justice David Mann, yesterday commended troops of Operation Safe Haven for their efforts at ensuring that peace reigns across the nook and cranny of the Plateau.

The Chief Judge gave the commendation when the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3 Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander Operation Safe Haven, Major General Ibrahim Ali, paid a courtesy visit to his office at High Court of Justice Complex in Jos.

A statement by the Military Information Officer, Operation Save Haven, Major Ishaku Takwa, explained that Justice Mann noted that the continued peace being enjoyed recently on the Plateau was as a result of the concerted efforts of the troops of Operation Safe Haven deployed under the command of a hardworking leader.

The chief judge also noted the significance of synergy among officials involved in the Criminal Justice System.

Earlier, the GOC 3 Div and Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN, Major General Ibrahim Ali, recommended the significance of stiffer punishment to deter criminal-minded persons from breaking the law, even as he reaffirmed the commitment of Operation Safe Haven to the rule of law and professional discharge of its responsibilities devoid of any sentiment.

The Federal Government says it is working on integrating housing census to the upcoming census.

This, it says, is in order to establish an accurate housing deficit in the country.

Head, Habitat Technical Unit, United Nation-Habitat Desk, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Roland Uwakwe said this in Abuja at the investiture of Dr. Raymond Eboh as Habitat Youth Humanitarian Ambassador; and the Peer Review session on the first United Nations Nigeria Youth Housing Summit.

According to the Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Youth Congress, Emmanuel Daudu: “I want to inform you that the ministry is working with the National Population Commission so that during the upcoming census, the housing census will be integrated into the programme because we want to know the actual housing stock we have.

“For many occasions you see people quoting housing deficits, some would say 20 million, some would say 17 million, but there is no data to back it up. So, I will also like the youth habitat programme to key into the Housing Census programme, so that we can ascertain the actual housing deficits.

“I also want to assure you that we will give all the necessary support, both technical and financial support. I hope as we prepare for the programme, the outcome will be useful to the entire country, especially the youths because they are the most affected by these housing programmes.”

On his part, Raymond Edoh urged the youths to change their mentality of dependence on government and political patronage to self-reliance.

He said, “Factually speaking, due to numerous challenges and harsh socio-economic environment, many Nigerian youths are now  depending  on   themselves and driving their own future  by   creating opportunities   and  by undertaking different entrepreneurial  ventures towards self-reliance.

Speaking on his recent decoration, Dr. Eboh pledged that his office would seek to convey the sordid plights of the Nigerian youths to all concerned quarters at international level, adding that doing so would help Nigerian youths become better humanitarians.

A non-governmental organisation, Roost Foundation, has raised the alarm over organ harvesters recruiting victims through placement of adverts or posters advertising for drivers, nurses, maids and a lot more.

The organisation said unsuspecting victims apply for such opportunities only to find out when it is too late that they were being recruited for something entirely different.

Some of the tricks involve rolling out advertorials calling for the recruitment of young Nigerians as drivers, nurses, maids and other professionals, fake offer of scholarship, nonexisting football clubs in some Middle East Countries. As lofty and enticing as these vague offers may be on the face value, it is clear that these young promising Nigerians are targets of organ harvesting and eventual death in the process, labour exploitation and sex slavery. Many of them that have ignorantly responded to these invitations are going through hell, many have died and many may never be able to tell their story while the few lucky ones are still brooding over their bitter experiences.”

Executive Chairperson, Roost Foundation, Julie Okah-Donli, made this known in Abuja at a press conference marking the 2022 World Day Against Human Trafficking and to announce the postponement of the Ango media African NGO’s festival that celebrates NGO’s that have impacted societies positively.

Okah-Donli said, “It is heartwarming to note that Government, Civil Society Organisations, the International Community and the Media are awakening to  the fact that while technology is frequently misused to facilitate trafficking, control victims, advertise services and hide criminal proceeds, its positive use can help practitioners detect, rescue and support victims and combat trafficking.

“Roost Foundation in the past one year has deployed the use of technology in its advocacy and sensitisation campaigns and feedback received so far has proven that this method of using visual and audio materials such as documentaries, animations, podcasts, e-fliers, social media updates, etc. is very effective.

“The Foundation, in partnership with NAPTIP, has also assisted the rescue of a victim who was trafficked to Mali in 2021. The survivor has been reunited with her family and is taking a skill acquisition training of her choice funded by the Foundation.

“Currently, the Foundation has received the report of a victim of Human trafficking trapped in Tripoli and we are working with relevant authorities to secure her rescue.

“Roost Foundation has offered psychosocial, medical, humanitarian support, counseling and pro-bono legal services to several victims of human trafficking and irregular migration in the past one year.

Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State has said the planned Biometric registration of teachers in the state is not meant to sack any teacher but to know the exact number of its active teachers.

Tambuwal said the clarification was necessary in order to disabuse the minds of those whose trade in stock was to politicise everything done by the government.

“We are in a political era, some political elements may start giving meaning to it. They may say we are sacking teachers.

“You can imagine a school with 10 teachers on our record but if you visit the school you can only see three. The rest are not where to be found but they are collecting salaries,” he said.

According to Tambuwal, this was making it difficult for the implementation of teachers promotion, among other things.

The governor, who was speaking at the distribution of instructional and reading materials to basic schools across the state on Thursday, urged the chairman of the state Universal Basic Education not to inscribe his name on schools materials.

“Avoid sycophancy of putting names on our roofs. Don’t put my name on any material. We don’t personalise government,” he said.

The governor commended donor agencies like UNICEF and BESDA for their support to the educational development in the state.

The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Bello Gwiwa, said that the materials were purchased by the state government with additional support from UNICEF and BESDA.

The Kano State Executive Council (SEC) has approved a 50 per cent upward review of the state scholarship allowances for its indigenes studying in Nigerian institutions.

The SEC approved the release of more than N865.4 million to the state Scholarship Board as outstanding allowance and logistics for the payment of the students across the 44 local governments of the five Emirates in the state.

The State Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, who briefed newsmen on the outcome of the weekly SEC meeting held at the council Chamber, Government House, Kano, disclosed that a total of 40,494 indigenous students would benefit from the scholarships.

He stated that the total outstanding scholarship for the 40,494 internal students from Karaye, Bichi, Rano, Kaya and Kano in the 44 local governments of the state is N836.2 million, while logistics for the payment is more than N29.2 million.

Malam Garba said Karaye Emirate has eight local governments with 3,094 students who will have N61.5 million outstanding  allowances and more than N4 million as logistics.

The internal wrangling rocking the Plateau State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has taken a twist as 18 aggrieved gubernatorial aspirants and other stakeholders have formed a pressure group known as “Plateau Project 2” to pursue litigations and petitions arising from the gubernatorial primary of the party to a logical conclusion.

According to a statement signed by the Chairman of the group, Mr Omar Shittien, “the group represents a political movement to pursue the injustice perpetrated by certain forces in the party.

“We are dismayed over the blatant refusal of the party to conduct election of delegates before the conduct of the recently concluded primaries for all political offices in the state.”

“The Plateau Project 2 comprises the  18 aggrieved APC Governorship, State Assembly, Senate and House of Representatives aspirants as well as local government chairmanship  aspirants who were deprived of their right to contest election after being cleared by the party.

“It is undemocratic for the party to have imposed party officials at the wards, LG, state offices as well as the national officers against the wish of the party members.

“We have therefore resolved that all petitions arising from complaints  about these injustices shall be vigorously perused to logical conclusion.”

Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya yesterday launched the COVID-19 Action Recovery Stimulus code-named Go-Care with the sum of N8.5 billion. No fewer than 288, 700 people will benefit from the intervention.

Go-Care is the state’s own version of the Federal Government NG-CARE programme aimed at expanding access to livelihood support, food security services and the provision of grants to poor and vulnerable households and firms following the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The governor said the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and livelihood of the people is much.

“The programme has a budgeted sum of N8.5 billion which is targeted at supporting no fewer than 288,700 beneficiaries in the two-year duration of the programme. From this amount, N3.4 billion will be used to support the poor and vulnerable households with grants and basic services.

Another N3.4 billion shall be used to support our farmers with farm inputs in order to increase food production and enhance the performance of the food supply value chain. The sum of N1.7 billion shall be disbursed as grants to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to support their operational activities and help them recover from the huge losses suffered during the pandemic.

“This makes the CARES programme not only timely but essential. The challenges of COVID-19 and the global economic meltdown have certainly made us be more strategic and focused in our development drive,” he said.

According to him, GO-CARE is a major step at putting the vulnerable groups that were worst affected by the pandemic on the path of recovery and growth, with the disbursement of funds to the beneficiaries who have met the World Bank’s stipulated eligibility criteria.

He added that these groups and individuals shall receive livelihood grants, social transfers, and soft loans as well as improved access to basic services in order to support economic recovery, boost food production and enhance the livelihood of the people.

“As a government, this intervention perfectly aligns with our human capital development initiative as encapsulated in our 10-year Development Agenda for Gombe State (DEVAGOM).

“As an emergency recovery programme, the initiative will support our governments’ budgeted programme of expenditures and interventions specifically designed to expand access to livelihood support, and food security and provide succour for the poor and vulnerable people in our communities whose lives, businesses, jobs and means of livelihood have been distorted by the pandemic,” he said.

He said in order to ensure maximum benefit from the programme, existing state-level delivery platforms with a track record of generating positive human capital development and economic returns for beneficiaries shall be used for the implementation of the interventions.

These platforms, he said, will further be reinforced with a state-level Steering Committee comprising political and technical heads of key sectoral ministries and policy heads of agencies constituted by the government to provide oversight and policy guidance for the programme in order to achieve greater results and the overall programme development objective.

He expressed the belief that those charged with the responsibility of implementing GOMBE–CARES will be faithful in executing the mandate so that the desired results are achieved, bearing in mind that this is a result-oriented programme.

He added that his administration is committed to providing all necessary administrative and operational support to ensure a hitch-free implementation in the state.

Governor Yahaya thanked the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for supporting the Federal Government to ensure that the programme was approved by the World Bank for implementation in Nigeria.